Trump loyalist Pulte gets oversight of vast U.S. intel

Between the lines: Critics questioned Pulte's independence in leading the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), citing investigations he launched as FHFA director into figures Trump has publicly criticized, including New York Attorney General Letitia James and Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.).

• Pulte will replace outgoing Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, under whose leadership ODNI sought edits to a report on Venezuela that drew political scrutiny — leading to allegations that intelligence was being politicized, which she denied.
• Critics warn he could further politicize what's designed to be an objective, apolitical process of synthesizing intelligence that agencies collect to produce reports for the president, other senior officials and the public.
• Pulte would likely follow Gabbard in going after the "deep state" — career intelligence officials that some in MAGA-world believe conspired against Trump.

Here's what the DNI does and what intelligence it has access to:

What does the Office of the DNI do?

The Office of the DNI is a centralized office that coordinates and oversees the operations of the nation's 18 intelligence agencies, including the National Security Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency.

• Congress created it following the Sept. 11 attacks, after reviews found intelligence-sharing failures contributed to missed warning signs.

What does the director do?

The DNI serves as the president's top intelligence adviser and is a Cabinet-level official responsible for preparing the president's daily security briefing.

What they're saying: Several Democrats and some Republicans raised concerns about the appointment.

• Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va), the top Democrat on the committee that will have to confirm Pulte's nomination, told Axios Pulte lacks the "extensive national security experience" the DNI is required by law to have.
• When asked if he thought Pulte would weaponize his power, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D) told reporters that "we don't need a weaponized DNI. We need professionals there."

The other side: A White House spokesperson told Axios that Trump "chooses the best and most talented people to serve in his Cabinet."

• "Bill Pulte is a great selection and he will do a great job on behalf of the American people."

What does the ODNI have access to?

The ODNI has broad access to information the FBI, CIA and DHS collect and has "access to all information and intelligence" that is "relevant" or "otherwise required" for the DNI to ensure national security "with limited exception[s]," per an ODNI memo.

• The ODNI has guidelines that prohibit the arbitrary collection of personal data, but a declassified internal report found the agency collected data without fully understanding what it possessed.

Zoom in: The office purchases commercially available data collected by brokers and other entities, such as "cell phones and other personal devices, cars, household appliances, and social media accounts."

• Third-party data producers do not always disclose to consumers that they share this information with the government for security monitoring.
• The ODNI outlined a framework to mitigate privacy concerns, but critics say it does not go far enough.

The bottom line: Sen. Warner in his email to Axios said: "Americans have every reason to worry about what happens" when the DNI "is chosen for his willingness to advance the president's political agenda rather than his experience."

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